Mental Health Struggles

Study Notes

John School is named after a giving community that focuses on making kids smile and providing opportunities for women's empowerment through confidence-building exercises and events.
Robin's House Foundation, named after the speaker's mom, aims to bring joy and happiness to children, offering a glimpse of professional life and lessons learned, regardless of personal struggles.
The speaker, a basketball player, shares his experiences with mental health challenges, drawing inspiration from previous NBA players like Kevin Love and DeMar DeRozan who have spoken openly about their own struggles.
The speaker's darkest moments came during an injury that left him unable to play basketball, causing self-doubt, questioning, and even contemplating dark thoughts.
Mental health issues were already present for the speaker but surfaced more evidently during his injury, and he began to question God and his life.
Athletes may feel pressure to conceal mental health issues from the public and not be vulnerable, but having a supportive network of friends and family can help individuals find their center again.
The speaker's journey to get better as a person and a basketball player includes the power of sports to provide a platform for positive change and ending the stigma around mental health.
Nathan Braaten, a student athlete, shares his experiences with mental health struggles, admitting the pressure of being an athlete and the importance of addressing mental health issues.
The statistics on mental health challenges among college students have reached epidemic levels, with over one-third of students struggling with some form of mental health issue, 11% having had thoughts of suicide, and 5% actively planning their own death.
John Chambers, the speaker's friend and teammate, took his life on July 4, 2016, and the speaker shares the importance of addressing mental health issues and the impact of losing a friend.